Watson turns back clock at British Open

Doug Ferguson, Associated Press

Published 1:24 pm, Monday, August 31, 2009

TURNBERRY, Scotland -- Tom Watson, famous for winning the "Duel in the Sun" that forever links him with Turnberry, is at the stage in his career when the British Open should be a ceremonial stroll into the sunset.

Yet at age 59, with wrinkles framing his gap-tooth grin, Watson poured in birdie after birdie, reviving his spiritual connection on Scottish links with a bogey-free 5-under 65.

"There's certain shots on the golf course that I remember how to play," Watson said.

His name was atop the leaderboard Thursday for six hours, giving Turnberry the buzz that Woods couldn't deliver, until Miguel Angel Jimenez came through with a 66-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 64 and his first lead in a major.

He said two weeks ago that his primary objective was to play well to "compete against the kids," some of whom where not even born when he won his epic duel against Jack Nicklaus in 1977.

Watson, though, couldn't help but embrace the memories himself on the eve of the British Open. He told of receiving a text message from Nicklaus' wife, Barbara, wishing him luck at Turnberry.

"I texted her back and said, 'You know, we really miss you over here,'" Watson said. "And I really meant it. It's not the same without Jack playing in the tournament."

At times, it sure looked the same.

Dressed in an argyle sweater, Watson fired a 9-iron into 8 feet for a birdie on No. 1. He dropped in another birdie from 20 feet on the 489-yard third hole, and never backed off. In surprisingly still conditions, he made it around Turnberry without a bogey, holing a 6-foot par putt on No. 18.

"I can still beat this golf course somehow," Watson said.

Jimenez also played bogey-free and finished strong. He lashed a 5-wood onto the green at the par-5 17th for a two-putt birdie from 65 feet, then rolled in a birdie putt on the 18th from just off the front of the green.

Ben Curtis, who like Watson won the British Open in his first try in 2003, had four birdies over his last six holes for a 65. They were joined by Japan's Kenichi Kuboya, who finished birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie from one of the final groups.

Fifth players broke par.

Turnberry laid down, a rare day along the Ayrshire coast with barely a breeze.

Woods, however, struggled.

He had as many birdies as clubs thrown in disgust -- three -- and was still in the mix until a poor chip led to bogey on the 15th. He missed his target by some 40 feet on the 16th, where his ball bounded into the burn. He had to scramble for bogey and finished with a 71.

Woods was seven shots behind, his largest first-round deficit ever in the British Open.

"I certainly made a few mistakes out there," Woods said. "Hopefully, tomorrow I can play a little better."

Harrington, who had missed his last five cuts until winning the Irish PGA last week against a weak field, had a 69. He is trying to become the first player in more than 50 years to win the claret jug three straight times.

Watson sure isn't feeling his age at the British Open, where he is a five-time champion and stalwart at links golf. Neither are 52-year-old Mark O'Meara and 49-year-old Mark Calcavecchia, former champions who shot 67.

Greg Norman, who had the 54-hole lead at Royal Birkdale last year in a remarkable revival, faded quickly at Turnberry, where he won the British Open in 1986. He didn't make a birdie until the 17th hole and shot 77.

Norman ceded the stage to Watson, who teased his Scottish following with the crazy notion he could hoist the silver trophy again. The oldest British Open champion was Old Tom Morris in 1867 at age 46, and Julius Boros is the oldest winner of any major, capturing the 1968 PGA Championship when he was 48.

Watson won four of his claret jugs in Scotland, none more memorable than at Turnberry.

"I feel inspired playing here," he said. "A lot of it has to do with just being in the presence here at Turnberry again, just a culmination of a lot of things that have gone on already. I feel that I'm playing well enough to win the golf tournament. It doesn't feel a whole lot out of the ordinary from 32 years ago, except that I don't have the confidence in my putting as I had 32 years ago.

"But again," he said, flashing that famous grin, "a few of them might go in."